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terms of the watchman for s a bscripti b pÂ«year,twoi_*olt.abs-poyablem i_nu.ee hut if not paid in advance two do_ja_s and fifty cts will be charged jkhtisehents inserted a 1 a v fo er^ed e.cb bubseque-u insertion court orde recharged Â£ per et higher than these rates a liberal dedue , ion 0 those who advertise by the year lei rebs to the e liters musl be post paid ______ address governor manly mk president ami gentlemen of the convention : in february 1848 when i was nominated by **.<* whig slate convention for the oflice ofihe governor ofihe state the honor was unsolici ted mid unexpected having passed the belter part of my life un ambitious ol popular distinction and public hon or i was content to remain the residue of my r a y iii ihe quiet unobtrusive devotion to my own affairs tbe call that was made upon me was re gponded to with alacrity and pride as a par , v man i felt bound to accept the nomination laying aside all other business al great pecu . jary sacrifice and under circumstances of pe cu iar*embarassment and domestic aflliciion i devoted mv best energies to the prosecution of b protracted and arduous campaign the re suit i known to you ; and although at first i fell disappointed and mollified al he diminished majority by which i was elected when com pared with lhe previous results yet when it was ascertained lhat ihe lost votes were chiefly in a few of ihe largest whig counties i be came satisfied lhat the votes had been withheld pol wiih any hostility to me but from lhat na i al ur yet dangerousjapatby resulting from en lire confidence in success the biief period of my administration has not heen exempt from trouble and responsibility â€” in ihe discharge of my public duties i have been unfairly assailed wilh a severity and coarse 9 ess heretofore unprecedented ; and while i : anticipated nothing less at the hands of our po litical adversaries i have been unexpectedly sn d 1 think ungenerously wounded in a few sections oi the state by professing political fiiends as the period approached for the as embling of this convention a tone of dissatis ' faction at the prospect of my renomination ! arose in certain rpiarters which induced me from certain motives of self respect and for the ] promotion of harmony in our ranks to meditate ] a peremptory withdrawal from the canvass â€” j upon consultation with some of my friends how ever i determined lo abandon lhat step to bear t vith what equanimity 1 could the assaults that might be made ; and to^awail lhe action and the decision ot this body under these cir i umstances and in view of what is past my j unanimous renomination by this large and in j elligent assembly of whigs is the more highly valued i accept your nomination and endeavor to discharge the trusts which lhe obligation im poses upon me may i not with entire confi j deuce expect a zealous and faithful performance of the correlative duties which attach to this body and lo the whigs of the state ? the whig parly can if they will elect their andidale for governor no sane man doubts ' that their nominee cannot elect himself â€” ! justice to all concerned demands a hearty and j cealous co-operation of every whig voter to loniinate their candidate place their standard ; n his hands and then not go to lhe polls and ; oto for him ; but by culpable indifference sub j iect him to lhe mollification and themselves to j i shameful defeat will be wholly indefensible among the objections which have been urg rl against my re-nominal ion was lhat of my central residence in the state â€” that i was orig inally the nominee of a certain central influ ence now it is well known to every man who at tended the last whig convention thatmynom ; inalion was brought about not by the delegates j from lhe centre but by the concurrence of the kast and the west against the centre this j however has been sufficiently explained by the ! public press and i forbear to reiterate and dwell ; upon it here but why should the whigs at the centre be 1 contemned and cast aside ? what evil have ! ihey done ? what reproach or injury have they brought upon the whig party during the long and perilous fight in which we have been en gaged ? in what quarter of the state have , whigs devoted iheir lime their talents and their means in support of the cause more ardently and freely than the whigs at the centre ? but i believe that this narrow unfounded jealousy eii.is in the breasts of only a few ; that the in j justice of lhis denunciation has been generous ly vindicated and repelled by the great body of whig voters in every quarter of the stale and i will dismiss the unpleasant topic with the sin gle remark that in my opinion if there had heen found among the people of old sodom in the day of their visitation seven such men as the whigs ofthe centre verily that old wicked town would not have been destroyed patronage fn dispensing the patronage of my office in selecting men to fill the literary hoard and the internal improvement board and in ap pointing directors of public works on rail roads and plauk roads and turnpike roads 1 have called in members of belli political par lies and in fulfilling lhe multifarious and ardu ous duties of my station have been governed by li conscientious ability standing on lhis prac tice of the past and this pledge for the future i shall repose wilh entire confidence on the jus tice and magnanimity of all fair minded people i desire today to address myself to whigs to take a brief retrospect ofthe past ; to recall the prophetic admonitions of whig policy and whig councils and to congratulate this assem bly on the patriotic and national conservatism ' of whig principles before doing so however i deem this an apt occasion for making a few remarks on cer tain topics of state policy which are agitating the public mind i allude particularly to the subjects of popular education internal im i provements and an amendment of the consti tution in relation to what is called " free suf frage the education of the people the structure of our government resting not en high walled battlements and towers but in the moral force the affections and hearts of our people can only be preserved iu strength and purity by a liberal system of popular education the enlightened morality of a state has every thing to do wilh iis peace thrift and happiness and when once enthroned with christianity in the heart of any people is the cheapest policy that any government can maintain enlight en the public mind elevate the standard of po litical and religious freedom and the people will j the carolina watchman bruner k james ) / " kf.l:r a check i.to.v alt your editors <%â€¢ proprietors ) rulers do this and llbeetv ts safe < gen'l harrison i new series volume vu number 7 salisbury n c thursday june 27 1850 respect and love the government and its insti j tutions and form an invincible fortress of de fence what constitutes a slate ; not rich fields j and bloated commerce the ore in her mines and lhe gold in her cities ; bul men high minu : i:d men they conslilute a slate how is this great good to be attained ? by j a liberal and enlightnned system of common ' schools i would by no means be understood as recommending a withdrawal of the public patronage and favor from the colleges and i ; academies in the slate far from it yet i here wish to urge and shall continue lo do so i on all suilable occasions the supreme necessi ' ly of extending the fostering care of the gov ernment to our primary schools the wealthy and more ihrifiy class of our people can lake care of themselves and can educate j their children where they please it is the ! poor and the less favored portion that need and rightfully demand the public help what minds ' of intellectual wealth and power lie buried in the rubbish of penury and neglect ! in traver i sing over many neglected regions ofthe slate j where shut oul from commerce and ordinary j business and means of acquiring property the ! children inherit nothing but infancy and ignor j ance and penury and when at the approach of a stranger the little barefooted while-headed ! urchins are to be seen hiding and peeping a i round the corners of iheir humble dwellings â€” i often have we mentally exclaimed alas ! how ! many mute inglorious vliltons and franklins ! are deemed to languish and die in the rude ob j scuiily ot the quarry the fund provided by the slate for public in struclion although large and liberal is yet in | adequate to the wants of our people our sys i tern of common schools is miserably deficient in ils organization and management this is not the competent tribunal however for the correction of ihese errors and i will not detain you with au essay on the subject but must has ten on internal improvements as to internal improvements i have ever been the steady advocate of a fair practical and judicious system our slate now seems to be every where aroused to the exigency of our i wants good trading towns and the means of cheap transportation to reach them if the em ployment ol the poor the encouragement ofthe industrious and the comforts of all classes ot the community be objects worthy of the care of a parental government if to furnish the means of instruction to the indigent ; to lay deep the foundation of republican government in the education of every free child within our bordors however humble his origin or desti tute his condition if we would stay the flood of emigration which is sweeping from us by thousands the most adventurous of our youth and remove the necessity which compels ihem to abandon the home of their childhood and the grave of their fathers lo seek a living in some distant land which holds out rewards and in ducements to enterprize and exertion if we would bring the farmers and miners of the west and lhe farmers ofthe interior into com munion with the merchants and mechanics of i the sea board ; and unite the dissevered parts of north carolina into one brotherhood of in terest and patriotism if we would command for our honest old state that high station in lhe union she deserves to occupy â€” these great a chievements can be accomplished in one way only internal improvements have produced ' them in other states not more highly favored by nature and can likewise produce ihem here let it not be said that we are too poor â€” that i we have not the means â€” our very poverty has ! resulted from unrewarded labor limited produc i lion and languid trade and furnishes the strong i est reason for our prosecuting the system wilh j united energy great caution however should be used in i checking visionary schemes ; in wasting our j strength by embarking at once into too many j interprizes of a purely sectional character ; in over-tasking ourselves ; and in incurring a state debt that will be oppressive to the peo pie and which may induce bad men and dema gogues to reject and repudiate it free suffrage the position assumed and maintained by me j during the past canvass for governor in refer ence to the right of " free suffrage would seem to be misapprehended in some sections ; and i deem lhis a fit occasion for declaring lo you and through you to the people at large the j ground i have heretofore taken and which i expect hereafter to occupy upon the subject of altering lhe constitution of north carolina the political campaign ol 18 is was conduc ' ted throughout the country and especially in n ; carolina as every one knows in reference to questions of national policy the two parties we all recollect nominated their candidates wiihout respect to " free suffrage and both their conventions forbore to express any opin ions favorable ar unfavorable to constitutional reforms of any kind are you a whig â€” are you a democrat â€” that was the question the administration of the government by mr polk ; lhe settlement ofthe oregon dispute with great biilain ; lhe origin of lhe mexican war and the manner of its prosecution ; the wrongs practised by the administration towards i the illustrious generals of our gallant army when fighting the battles of iheir country ; the dangers to be apprehended lo lhe safely of the republic from extending our borders by con quest and the perils to which it must expose the southern institutions in particular ; the pos sible overthrow and ruin of the union itself to 1 bring into it lhe large territories of new mex ico and california by the aid of the sword with out some friendly compromise of opinion among ourselves upon the subject of negro slavery ; the abuse of the veto power by the president and the proscription of the whig party by the administration so as lo exclude ihem like ali ens and enemies from the stations of honor and profit in a common country these constituted the leading topics of discussion and formed the basis of our parly divisions the candidate of our opponents was brought ' out by his parly upon national grounds only â€” . j the democratic convention saw fit nol to ex | 1 press in their published proceedings any dissal : isfaciion whatever with ihe constitution of the i slate they selecled him and nominated him as j the whig parly had chosen me wiihout regard | ! lo his opinions upon the constitution as it is â€” ' ; it was not made known by the proceedings of ; lhe convention nor by the proceedings of anv i : meeling great or small any where in the state 1 lhat either party desired to alter or that lhe ' | people were iu any degree dissatisfied wiih during the progress of the campaign howev ; er the public ear was startled by new issues i wholly unanticipated by either parly the ! democratic candidate for governor stepping on the platform of political faith erected by the convention of lhat parly took his stand under a new banner inscribed with the seductive mot : j to of free suffrage ( to the north carolina politicians of ihat day i lhe announcement was like a clap of thunder ; in a clear sky the distracting questions un ' der our old constitution arising from taxation i . representation and the right of voting which : had so long disturbed our councils divided our j j people into eastern and western fragments ! , marred the harmonious co operation ofihe leg j i islature and kept down the energy and pros j 1 perily of our state had been adjusted by an | amendment of our constilution in a spirit of 1 j mutual accommodation lhe different sections of ; the state which had held opinions antagonistic j cal on these questions met together in conven tion in the year 1835 composed this dispute i by a compromise gave to the west a prepon ! derance in the law-making department of the | government and sat oul hand in hand in a new j career of arousing the energies of the state and of stimulating and sustaining each other in ! the cordial and liberal support of a system of â– state policy which should enlighten ennoble j and enrich the every part of our good old com ! monwealth no wonder then when this chord was struck j which again awoke to life and motion this fia ' tricidal strife which the men of all parties had , : helped to bury that our people on both sides i were taken by surprise whence did it come ? j in vain was it sought for in the primary assem blies of our people they had not spoken nor ! moved in the mailer the great lever of pub lie opinion the press had been silent the democratic convention which had just been , held had publicly recommended no such rule ! of action for the guidance of their nominee â€” j from what region then could it have pro j ceeded ? it was conjectured that it smelt of the [ channel house of the washington ciiy tactics j and that it had been sent on ready made to } frighten the whigs of this state from their pro priety and to place them in a false position in the election of a governor what was con jecture then has in part at least become history now it has been publicly asserted and admit ted at washington i am told that it was got ten up and manufactured there and sent on for i north carolina use ; quoted and signed and gloated over as the infallible democratic thun der ; as thier patent exploding blunderbuss for j demolishing every thing and it was predic | ted wilh chuckling confidence that no whig j candidate if placed within its range could stand up before the people in any state of the union for ten days knowing full well the excitement the sec i tional disturbance and the paralysing influence â– on the progress of our stale in limes past,caus j ed by the agitation of this question of constitu j tional reform having no authority as the organ ofthe whig party to declare iheir sentiments j in regard to it and neither opportunity nor time | afforded during an ardent contest to obtain their ! opinions ; il became my steady aim and effort to shut out the topic ; lo exclude it from the i canvass ; to warn my party friends to beware of such political trickery and not to permit themselves to be divided upon this new issue about amending the constilution of the stale ! â€” an issue which had not been mooted by the i people : which did not claim to have sprung from either of the great political parties at home but which had been imported from the grand national president-making mint and thrown in i to circulation among the eastern and western whigs of north carolina to divide and con quer those schemers cared nothing about " free suffrage in north carolina : nor whe ther the constitution of the state should be a i mended or not it was a blow aimed at the supremacy of the whig party the contest for a president ol the united stales was ihen rao r in nr , and his election was soon to follow lhal of the governor it was to cripple lhe whigs â€” to deleat them in the august election in or der to secure to democracy a more important i triumph in november il was not to equalize the voting rights of the " people of north car olina but to elect lhe democratic candidate gen cass lo lhe presidency that " set that ball in motion and when as the presidential election drew nigh some of these political necromancers in solemn council were calculating chances and urging the probability of their carrying this state for gen cass ihe chief of the sanhe drim with porlentious forboding shook his head and old them : " set down n carolina a whig stale give her up we failed to kill ihem federal whigs with our patent free suffrage physic in angus and they'll go for old zach sure as deatii !" how prophetic ! ' yes ! the political jugglers behind the scenes who pulled lhe wires for the august show were disappointed they had mistaken their men the whig parly had been too long battling for the great conservative principles of their political faith in one unbroken phalanx to suffer their columns to be dissevered and borne down by the strategy of their enemies they looked at it through the glasses of an old western farmer who said to me up in the mountains " i am in favor of universal suffiage on the while population principle and i would vote for it if the question were presented at such time and in such way as my vote could be counted and would amount lo any thing : but in ihe election of governor it makes no differ ence as lo this question how 1 vote it is a locof>co party trick and i can see through it as plain as lean through a wheat sitier the ; i whigs concurred wiih tne in the sentiment j zealously enforced during the whole progress of ihe discussion lhat the calm and sober rea son and judgment essential lo lhe consideration j of a change in our organic fundamental law j ! did not and could not occupy the minds of the people engaged in a fierce political strife on : other grounds they knew full well that such questions of reform pertained exclusively to the legislative power and to the people in iheir sovereign cha racier â€” that the goveri or had no power lo ad ! just this measure : no voice lo establish it no ' veto o prevent il that his election on the one side or the other would neither advance nor re i lard a single step the progress of such reforms unless by common consent lhe two political parties of the state shall agree to introduce this issue of a constitutional reform into their tii vi ; i sions how is it possible to test the popular will ; upon it by a governor's election ? but we all know lhat this is a question which neither par â– ' ty exclusively supports in both parlies men ; hold different opinions about it as they have a right to do the people alone have the light and ought o retain the power of reforming their j | government not through the unauthorised me | | dium of their governor or of his election but only by the constitutional agency of their rep resentatives in the general assembly what real lover of the people's rights what honest patriot will not agree no matter what may be his opinions ofthe alterations proposed that above all other things constitutional chan 'â– es ought not to be made the test of party : nor j the play things in mere party conflicts : neith er the price of any one's elevation nor the re i ward of another's overthrow it is the legislature and not the governor ! who are competent to enact laws for the legit imate expression of this mighty voice of popu ! lar sovereignty ; and it is now as it was two \ years ago a matter of little signification what may be the undivided opinion ofthe governor or of any candidate for that office do the people wish to have a reform in their constitution ? then they need only to require their representatives to pass laws for taking the j vote ofthe people that process the governor j possesses no power either to promote or prevent ! except it may be by the corrupt exercise of an in fluence derived from his station 1 believe that the honest advocalesof free suffrage donot wish . to attain their object by official abuses of power and that the honest opponents of all change in the constitution can hardly expect to resist the pop ular will by such ignoble means our con stitution is nol perfect no one pretends lhat it is or ever can be but it is the glory of our i free institutions that the people have a right to j alter iheir organic law whenever time and ex i perience prove that amendments are wanting and the popular voice demand a change in our constitution this right is expressly provided for and in my judgement it is no part ofa gov ernor's duty or rights to make or propose new j constitutions for the people it is undeniable that a iarge intelligent and patriotic portion ofthe citizens ofthe slate are now demanding some very important changes in iheir constitution we see the evidences of this public sentiment not only in the popular meetings of both political parties and in the public presses but also in the votes ofthe last assembly of this slate and in the progress of similar opinions amongst lhe voters of almost every other state in the union whether those who desire a change consti tute a majority or not may be readily ascertain ed in the manner provided for by our constitu tion that is to say by an act of the general assembly submitting these things to the peo ple ofihe polls and i hold it to be the duty of iheir representatives as their agents to provide for the orderly and lawful expression of j the public mind whenever there is any well i grounded belief that a settled disconlent pre vails against the constitution as it is the peo : pie may be irusled i am sure to decide for them selves in norlh carolina and a all evenls they have reserved that right in the existing consti tution : and if such a law should be passed by tbe legislature during my term of office it shall be faithfully and fairly executed in my view ofthe subject it will be my du ly to recommend to the approaching general assembly such legislation consistently with the compromises of our present constitu ion as will enaple the people to decide these questions for themselves and i owe it to can ' dor to declare this to you upon the present ! occasion because the approaching election will lake place several months before my first offi cial communication to lhe general assembly but lo this convention to this band of whig brothers who have braved the " battle and the breeze " in many a hard fought field i would say let nol questions of this kind divide you â€” suffer not the organic law ofthe land above all things to^become a party test learn from lhe couise pursued by your representatives in the last legislature that such questions form no test of party adhesion for in the various propositions in both houses in regard to free suft'erage " you found whigs and democrats voting together on the other take counsel from our political adversaries who although they differ widely among themselves on many questions and especially upon internal improve menl and upon " free suff'erage yet main lain to the bitter end iheir cohesive attraction as democrats let us maintain our adhesion as members of tbe great conservative whig parly upon national grounds whig principles the whig party had ils organization in the defence of the constitution against the aggres sions of the executive ; in defence of the le gislative department of lhe government against executive influence executive dictation and the one man power it is based upon regard for the constitution and obedience to law we inculcate the doctrine of honesty and fair deal ing towards all nations inviolability of the faith of treaties of peace and friendship wilh all ; economy in public expenditures opposition to wars not demanded for the safety defence or honor of lhe nation : to standing armies in time of peace national debts and heavy taxation we are not sectional but conservative we propose no test lhat cannot be submitted lo by citizens of every section with whom lhe coii^ti i tution as il is is of binding force we believe j in progress within the constilution in wise i legislation in aid of commerce agriculture ; manufacturing industry science and the arts j we discard that sort of progress lhat shall â– evade or over-ride any one of lhe obligations i of the solemn political compact made by our ! forefathers as north carolina whigs we go , lor the maintenance of southern rights and property as guaranteed by law ; and againsi ! ihe machinations of abolition fanatics dema ' gogues and agitators we claim the proiec lion and preservation of our rights under the constitution as it is we invoke no aid from assemblies nor conventions of doubtful pur poses and designs ; and of undefined powers : conventions arbitrarily and irregularly appoint ed and irresponsible to the people we are for no bragging and bluster when the remedies provided by our compact of union shall have been tried in vain and lhe rights of tbe south shall be withheld or violated by the unjust and arbitrary force of despotic numbers we will then inquire inio the new mode and measure of redress wiih the spirit and the en ergy necessary to vindicate and maintain them lntil that calamity shall arrive we are for that great legacv bequeathed lo us bv our fa thers ihe union of the states it is union lhat gives us wealth prosperity strength security it is on that strong arch the temple of liberty rests ; we know of no other foundation on which the dome nf that goddess can stand we say with the eloquent and patriotic american poel " sail on oh ship of state sail on oh union ! strong and great ! humanity with all its fi-ars willi all the hop uf future vear is hanging breathless on thy fete we know what master hid thy keel what workman wrought thy ribs f steel who made each mast and sail and rope what anvils rang what hammers beat in what a forge and what a heat were shaped the anchors of thy hope god forbid hat we shall ever encounter tbe fearful evil of overturning that for which our fathers lived and for which the good aud the great are all prepared to toil and lo die democratic principles what are the principles of this party ? â€” what have they professed ? by what seduc tive charm did they win the confidence of the people and how did ihey redeem iheir pledges ? they set out with the one term priuciple for the office of president of the united stales â€” that members of congress should not be ap , pointed to office for retrenchment and re form in the expenditures of lhe government and for a fair distribution of public patronage and against proscription how were these pledges redeemed ? gen jackson declared upon his going into office thai it was advisable to limit tbe service ol chief magistrate to a single term of 4 or 0 years ; and argued 'â€¢ that the adoption of tbe rule would tend to secure the independence of each de partment ol the government and promote the healthful and equitable administration of lhe trusts which it created long before lhe expiration of his first term upon the importunity of letters written by his friends of the pennsylvania legislature he tvas again nominated by that body for re-election his previous firm conviction of the great im propriety of such course suddenly vanished â€” a second term became at once a very proper thing he accepted the nomination and that was the last we heard of carrying out the one lerm principle again ; they argued before the people that members of congress should not be appointed to office during the term for which they were elected nor wiihin two years thereafter â€” lhat they should be independent and should be plac ed beyond the reach of executive influence â€” what was the practice why no sooner had iheir candidate reached the while house than he commenced appointing members of con gress to office five members ofthe cabinet were taken from congress and only one from the people at large and the record of that day exhibits the very consistent fact of 23 mem bers of congress appointed to offices of vari ous grades again : the democratic party insisted as a prominent issue on the necessity of " re renchment and reform they told us that executive patronage bad increased was in creasing and should be diminished thev call ed for reform in every department ofthe gov ernment they told us if the dear people would only entrust ihem with place and power that there could hardly be an end to their vigor ous labors in the cause of regeneration and a mendment and in cleaning out lhe '* augean stable well they got possession of lhe govern ment instead of redaction of officers their numbers augmented the public expenditure were enormously increased frauds and de falcations ensued the treasury was plunder ed ot millions the post ollice became bank rupt and other departments of tbe government were thrown into the utmost disorder and con fusion as a commentary upon tbe faithful ex ecution of this piomised " retrenchment take the custom house in ihe city of new york that greal workshop fir the manufacture of po litical capital when modern democracy took possession of lhe government there were em ployed in that establishment we are told 175 men at the close of lhat dynasty there weie 500 the expenses of collecting the revenue at the commencement of democratic reign were 8*200.000 ; at lhe close under their patent sys tem of reduction and retrenchment they were 8000,000 all ihis too while ihe amount of labor and ihe amount of revenue collected re mained about the same again the democracy when soliciting the reins of the government commended them selves to the favorable regard of the people by their loud denunciation of the proscriptive policy they held up iheir hands with holy horror at the change made by mr clay when secretary of slate of some few printers ofihe laws the people were lold by lhis new sect lhat in every situation parly and party feeling should be avoided that the monster called parly spirit should be exterminated that patriotism talents and integrity should be the passport to office that the president ought not to be the head of a party but the head~of a nation v.'iih the avowal of these liberal nnd generous sentimonis as to the administra lion of patronage : and with declaraiions of absolute abhorrence ol the proscriptire policy they succeeded triumphantly in the election how did ihat lum out ? why they commenc ; ed an immediate transfer lo their own partisan press of ibe printing ..| ihe laws dismissing all others appointing editors and those coo , uected wiih the democratic press lo office and making a general sweep of ihe officers and . agenls of the government from the highest . dignitary in the diplomatic corps io iheÂ°tide waiter of the custom house : so lhal while the predecessors of modern democracy from w ushingtuu to john quincy adams inclusive ha !, in a period of 32 years made only about 1'30 removals this proscription bat ing even handed party in the first year of its career had made more ihan 1500 removals ! men dismis sed who were iu lhe language of one of their party ol the purest irtue upon whose cha racter no slain was ever fixed before ; justly regarded by all who knew ihem as eminently possessing honesty capacity and fidelity in iheir trusts lhis flagrant abandonment oi their pledges about proscription wa pursued with unmitiga ted rigor throughout ih whole course of 7ho administrations ot jackson van buren and polk indeed so omnipotent had ihis rule of devo tion to parly and bestowal of offi7 on parti zans become that even when our country was engaged with a foreign foe when party dis unctions should be buried when whigs no less than democrats struck for the honor of our mag and mingled their blood in one common stream in upholding lhe honor of the republic this cardinal rule of proscription was still para mount in the appointment of lhe officers for our army in ihe mexican war some two or three general officers and a few subalterns were taken from the whigs while all lhe re mainder amounting io about jo were taken from lhe democracy iu this reckless violation of professions and falsification of promises you search in vain for democratic principles and although in the definitions of modern democracy 1 will not employ the insulting language used by their own distinguished leader lhat ihey are held together by no principle bul tbe cohesive pow er of public plunder yel to what else than unscrupulous and inordinate thirst for lhe spoils can be ascribed their bitter and virulent oppo sition to gen taylor's administration ? no sooner had he been installed into office than il was formally announced by lhe official organ of democracy ibat no matter what aspect the future might wear the policy of the president was to be opposed lo the â€¢' bitter end with cause or wiihout cause his adminis tration was to be broken down accordingly ' no mutter what have been his measures they have been arraigned condemned and stigma tized as lhe offspring of folly or corruption â€” libels so gross that they shocked tbe common sense cf the country : caiicatures so extrava gant that they betrayed their malignity and falsehood on their face : vituperation coarse beyond all parallel in partizau controversy : â€” base insinuations bold falsehood unsparing abuse have been poured oul without stint or forbearance upon lhe devoted head of the gal lant hero whose only offence has been that of covering lhe flag of his country with imper ishablr glory on ihe fields of carnage and of victory and of winning in a pacific elective conlest ihe highest honors ofa grateful people the whig party of north carolina by a ma joritjr of 8,000 votes contributed to bring him into power and we will be the last lo desert the standard of lhe brave old soldier unschool ed in party tactics he takes his position under the lessons in the constitution undismayed by factioniÂ»ls and demagogues ho adheres lo a line of policy which he deems essential lo the peace and safety of ibe nation he has been tried in the field tiied in the cabinet : iried by difficult and embarrassing questions at home and delicate relations with foreign powers : â€” tried by the artillery of lhe most unscrupulous party press : tried by legislators both norih and south in a fearful struggle on questions of the most momentous concern in all these conflicts both foreign and domestic general taylor has borne himself as a man and a pat riot standing now unmoved a he did amidst lha storm and thunder on lhe eventful field of bu ena \ isla when ihe flower and strength of his army were unjustly withdrawn from him and he was left with a handful of troops to be borne down and destroyed by the irresistible force of unequal numbers â€” self poised by bis own in domitable courage and energy and decision he falters neiiher to the right hand nor io lhe left but now as then strikes for his couuiry his whole country the whig party may well congratulate them selves and the nation in having at the head of affairs such a man al such a tremendous crisis as the present a crisis which has paralyzed all legislation by our congress : disturbed the public mind : stirred up implacable feud and discord and hatred among brethren ofthe same great national famiiy ; and threatens lo deliver over to anarchy and civil war a people hereto fore united by the strongest ties of historic re collections of the past and bright hopes for lhe luture : a people united in the same fiaternal bond of kindrad and affection and interest a crisis in our hirlorv resulting from lh acquisi tion of vast regions of territory purchased most dearly by a lavish effusion of lhe b!oÂ«.d and treasure of the country which was foretold by the whigs as with prophetic vision against the consummation i which their best energies have been unceasin^iy directed â€” i portentous disaster for which the whig party is in no sort responsible a crisis sothieatening rul ing ihat it becomes the imperative duty of those in power in our national assembly to calm the agitation and fears ol our people the sectional struggle in which our country is now engaged and which ha been brought upon us by the maiversaiionof mr polk s ad ministration involves not our own alone but the destiny of civil liberty throuirhout the earth the contest must be made to terminate pub lie sentiment demands of congn - h the path of safety and r-!..rm cau in my solemn opinion alone be found iu the moderate counsels the conci!ia!in policy and consi i live principles of the \\ b g party let u then as a band of brother upfa uly burying all minor r local jealousies let ps stand shoulder to shoulder togethei lo maintain lhat party in union is our strength let ns then mv friends emblazon upon our shields ihe principles of whigs inscribe up on the sacred folds of out ensign the talisman c motto ot our order let us sil ralii at tbe same watchword and marching with undivided fronl under tie same banner victom wilt he iit.t.mn am co___p____tk !

terms of the watchman for s a bscripti b pÂ«year,twoi_*olt.abs-poyablem i_nu.ee hut if not paid in advance two do_ja_s and fifty cts will be charged jkhtisehents inserted a 1 a v fo er^ed e.cb bubseque-u insertion court orde recharged Â£ per et higher than these rates a liberal dedue , ion 0 those who advertise by the year lei rebs to the e liters musl be post paid ______ address governor manly mk president ami gentlemen of the convention : in february 1848 when i was nominated by **.co party trick and i can see through it as plain as lean through a wheat sitier the ; i whigs concurred wiih tne in the sentiment j zealously enforced during the whole progress of ihe discussion lhat the calm and sober rea son and judgment essential lo lhe consideration j of a change in our organic fundamental law j ! did not and could not occupy the minds of the people engaged in a fierce political strife on : other grounds they knew full well that such questions of reform pertained exclusively to the legislative power and to the people in iheir sovereign cha racier â€” that the goveri or had no power lo ad ! just this measure : no voice lo establish it no ' veto o prevent il that his election on the one side or the other would neither advance nor re i lard a single step the progress of such reforms unless by common consent lhe two political parties of the state shall agree to introduce this issue of a constitutional reform into their tii vi ; i sions how is it possible to test the popular will ; upon it by a governor's election ? but we all know lhat this is a question which neither par â– ' ty exclusively supports in both parlies men ; hold different opinions about it as they have a right to do the people alone have the light and ought o retain the power of reforming their j | government not through the unauthorised me | | dium of their governor or of his election but only by the constitutional agency of their rep resentatives in the general assembly what real lover of the people's rights what honest patriot will not agree no matter what may be his opinions ofthe alterations proposed that above all other things constitutional chan 'â– es ought not to be made the test of party : nor j the play things in mere party conflicts : neith er the price of any one's elevation nor the re i ward of another's overthrow it is the legislature and not the governor ! who are competent to enact laws for the legit imate expression of this mighty voice of popu ! lar sovereignty ; and it is now as it was two \ years ago a matter of little signification what may be the undivided opinion ofthe governor or of any candidate for that office do the people wish to have a reform in their constitution ? then they need only to require their representatives to pass laws for taking the j vote ofthe people that process the governor j possesses no power either to promote or prevent ! except it may be by the corrupt exercise of an in fluence derived from his station 1 believe that the honest advocalesof free suffrage donot wish . to attain their object by official abuses of power and that the honest opponents of all change in the constitution can hardly expect to resist the pop ular will by such ignoble means our con stitution is nol perfect no one pretends lhat it is or ever can be but it is the glory of our i free institutions that the people have a right to j alter iheir organic law whenever time and ex i perience prove that amendments are wanting and the popular voice demand a change in our constitution this right is expressly provided for and in my judgement it is no part ofa gov ernor's duty or rights to make or propose new j constitutions for the people it is undeniable that a iarge intelligent and patriotic portion ofthe citizens ofthe slate are now demanding some very important changes in iheir constitution we see the evidences of this public sentiment not only in the popular meetings of both political parties and in the public presses but also in the votes ofthe last assembly of this slate and in the progress of similar opinions amongst lhe voters of almost every other state in the union whether those who desire a change consti tute a majority or not may be readily ascertain ed in the manner provided for by our constitu tion that is to say by an act of the general assembly submitting these things to the peo ple ofihe polls and i hold it to be the duty of iheir representatives as their agents to provide for the orderly and lawful expression of j the public mind whenever there is any well i grounded belief that a settled disconlent pre vails against the constitution as it is the peo : pie may be irusled i am sure to decide for them selves in norlh carolina and a all evenls they have reserved that right in the existing consti tution : and if such a law should be passed by tbe legislature during my term of office it shall be faithfully and fairly executed in my view ofthe subject it will be my du ly to recommend to the approaching general assembly such legislation consistently with the compromises of our present constitu ion as will enaple the people to decide these questions for themselves and i owe it to can ' dor to declare this to you upon the present ! occasion because the approaching election will lake place several months before my first offi cial communication to lhe general assembly but lo this convention to this band of whig brothers who have braved the " battle and the breeze " in many a hard fought field i would say let nol questions of this kind divide you â€” suffer not the organic law ofthe land above all things to^become a party test learn from lhe couise pursued by your representatives in the last legislature that such questions form no test of party adhesion for in the various propositions in both houses in regard to free suft'erage " you found whigs and democrats voting together on the other take counsel from our political adversaries who although they differ widely among themselves on many questions and especially upon internal improve menl and upon " free suff'erage yet main lain to the bitter end iheir cohesive attraction as democrats let us maintain our adhesion as members of tbe great conservative whig parly upon national grounds whig principles the whig party had ils organization in the defence of the constitution against the aggres sions of the executive ; in defence of the le gislative department of lhe government against executive influence executive dictation and the one man power it is based upon regard for the constitution and obedience to law we inculcate the doctrine of honesty and fair deal ing towards all nations inviolability of the faith of treaties of peace and friendship wilh all ; economy in public expenditures opposition to wars not demanded for the safety defence or honor of lhe nation : to standing armies in time of peace national debts and heavy taxation we are not sectional but conservative we propose no test lhat cannot be submitted lo by citizens of every section with whom lhe coii^ti i tution as il is is of binding force we believe j in progress within the constilution in wise i legislation in aid of commerce agriculture ; manufacturing industry science and the arts j we discard that sort of progress lhat shall â– evade or over-ride any one of lhe obligations i of the solemn political compact made by our ! forefathers as north carolina whigs we go , lor the maintenance of southern rights and property as guaranteed by law ; and againsi ! ihe machinations of abolition fanatics dema ' gogues and agitators we claim the proiec lion and preservation of our rights under the constitution as it is we invoke no aid from assemblies nor conventions of doubtful pur poses and designs ; and of undefined powers : conventions arbitrarily and irregularly appoint ed and irresponsible to the people we are for no bragging and bluster when the remedies provided by our compact of union shall have been tried in vain and lhe rights of tbe south shall be withheld or violated by the unjust and arbitrary force of despotic numbers we will then inquire inio the new mode and measure of redress wiih the spirit and the en ergy necessary to vindicate and maintain them lntil that calamity shall arrive we are for that great legacv bequeathed lo us bv our fa thers ihe union of the states it is union lhat gives us wealth prosperity strength security it is on that strong arch the temple of liberty rests ; we know of no other foundation on which the dome nf that goddess can stand we say with the eloquent and patriotic american poel " sail on oh ship of state sail on oh union ! strong and great ! humanity with all its fi-ars willi all the hop uf future vear is hanging breathless on thy fete we know what master hid thy keel what workman wrought thy ribs f steel who made each mast and sail and rope what anvils rang what hammers beat in what a forge and what a heat were shaped the anchors of thy hope god forbid hat we shall ever encounter tbe fearful evil of overturning that for which our fathers lived and for which the good aud the great are all prepared to toil and lo die democratic principles what are the principles of this party ? â€” what have they professed ? by what seduc tive charm did they win the confidence of the people and how did ihey redeem iheir pledges ? they set out with the one term priuciple for the office of president of the united stales â€” that members of congress should not be ap , pointed to office for retrenchment and re form in the expenditures of lhe government and for a fair distribution of public patronage and against proscription how were these pledges redeemed ? gen jackson declared upon his going into office thai it was advisable to limit tbe service ol chief magistrate to a single term of 4 or 0 years ; and argued 'â€¢ that the adoption of tbe rule would tend to secure the independence of each de partment ol the government and promote the healthful and equitable administration of lhe trusts which it created long before lhe expiration of his first term upon the importunity of letters written by his friends of the pennsylvania legislature he tvas again nominated by that body for re-election his previous firm conviction of the great im propriety of such course suddenly vanished â€” a second term became at once a very proper thing he accepted the nomination and that was the last we heard of carrying out the one lerm principle again ; they argued before the people that members of congress should not be appointed to office during the term for which they were elected nor wiihin two years thereafter â€” lhat they should be independent and should be plac ed beyond the reach of executive influence â€” what was the practice why no sooner had iheir candidate reached the while house than he commenced appointing members of con gress to office five members ofthe cabinet were taken from congress and only one from the people at large and the record of that day exhibits the very consistent fact of 23 mem bers of congress appointed to offices of vari ous grades again : the democratic party insisted as a prominent issue on the necessity of " re renchment and reform they told us that executive patronage bad increased was in creasing and should be diminished thev call ed for reform in every department ofthe gov ernment they told us if the dear people would only entrust ihem with place and power that there could hardly be an end to their vigor ous labors in the cause of regeneration and a mendment and in cleaning out lhe '* augean stable well they got possession of lhe govern ment instead of redaction of officers their numbers augmented the public expenditure were enormously increased frauds and de falcations ensued the treasury was plunder ed ot millions the post ollice became bank rupt and other departments of tbe government were thrown into the utmost disorder and con fusion as a commentary upon tbe faithful ex ecution of this piomised " retrenchment take the custom house in ihe city of new york that greal workshop fir the manufacture of po litical capital when modern democracy took possession of lhe government there were em ployed in that establishment we are told 175 men at the close of lhat dynasty there weie 500 the expenses of collecting the revenue at the commencement of democratic reign were 8*200.000 ; at lhe close under their patent sys tem of reduction and retrenchment they were 8000,000 all ihis too while ihe amount of labor and ihe amount of revenue collected re mained about the same again the democracy when soliciting the reins of the government commended them selves to the favorable regard of the people by their loud denunciation of the proscriptive policy they held up iheir hands with holy horror at the change made by mr clay when secretary of slate of some few printers ofihe laws the people were lold by lhis new sect lhat in every situation parly and party feeling should be avoided that the monster called parly spirit should be exterminated that patriotism talents and integrity should be the passport to office that the president ought not to be the head of a party but the head~of a nation v.'iih the avowal of these liberal nnd generous sentimonis as to the administra lion of patronage : and with declaraiions of absolute abhorrence ol the proscriptire policy they succeeded triumphantly in the election how did ihat lum out ? why they commenc ; ed an immediate transfer lo their own partisan press of ibe printing ..| ihe laws dismissing all others appointing editors and those coo , uected wiih the democratic press lo office and making a general sweep of ihe officers and . agenls of the government from the highest . dignitary in the diplomatic corps io iheÂ°tide waiter of the custom house : so lhal while the predecessors of modern democracy from w ushingtuu to john quincy adams inclusive ha !, in a period of 32 years made only about 1'30 removals this proscription bat ing even handed party in the first year of its career had made more ihan 1500 removals ! men dismis sed who were iu lhe language of one of their party ol the purest irtue upon whose cha racter no slain was ever fixed before ; justly regarded by all who knew ihem as eminently possessing honesty capacity and fidelity in iheir trusts lhis flagrant abandonment oi their pledges about proscription wa pursued with unmitiga ted rigor throughout ih whole course of 7ho administrations ot jackson van buren and polk indeed so omnipotent had ihis rule of devo tion to parly and bestowal of offi7 on parti zans become that even when our country was engaged with a foreign foe when party dis unctions should be buried when whigs no less than democrats struck for the honor of our mag and mingled their blood in one common stream in upholding lhe honor of the republic this cardinal rule of proscription was still para mount in the appointment of lhe officers for our army in ihe mexican war some two or three general officers and a few subalterns were taken from the whigs while all lhe re mainder amounting io about jo were taken from lhe democracy iu this reckless violation of professions and falsification of promises you search in vain for democratic principles and although in the definitions of modern democracy 1 will not employ the insulting language used by their own distinguished leader lhat ihey are held together by no principle bul tbe cohesive pow er of public plunder yel to what else than unscrupulous and inordinate thirst for lhe spoils can be ascribed their bitter and virulent oppo sition to gen taylor's administration ? no sooner had he been installed into office than il was formally announced by lhe official organ of democracy ibat no matter what aspect the future might wear the policy of the president was to be opposed lo the â€¢' bitter end with cause or wiihout cause his adminis tration was to be broken down accordingly ' no mutter what have been his measures they have been arraigned condemned and stigma tized as lhe offspring of folly or corruption â€” libels so gross that they shocked tbe common sense cf the country : caiicatures so extrava gant that they betrayed their malignity and falsehood on their face : vituperation coarse beyond all parallel in partizau controversy : â€” base insinuations bold falsehood unsparing abuse have been poured oul without stint or forbearance upon lhe devoted head of the gal lant hero whose only offence has been that of covering lhe flag of his country with imper ishablr glory on ihe fields of carnage and of victory and of winning in a pacific elective conlest ihe highest honors ofa grateful people the whig party of north carolina by a ma joritjr of 8,000 votes contributed to bring him into power and we will be the last lo desert the standard of lhe brave old soldier unschool ed in party tactics he takes his position under the lessons in the constitution undismayed by factioniÂ»ls and demagogues ho adheres lo a line of policy which he deems essential lo the peace and safety of ibe nation he has been tried in the field tiied in the cabinet : iried by difficult and embarrassing questions at home and delicate relations with foreign powers : â€” tried by the artillery of lhe most unscrupulous party press : tried by legislators both norih and south in a fearful struggle on questions of the most momentous concern in all these conflicts both foreign and domestic general taylor has borne himself as a man and a pat riot standing now unmoved a he did amidst lha storm and thunder on lhe eventful field of bu ena \ isla when ihe flower and strength of his army were unjustly withdrawn from him and he was left with a handful of troops to be borne down and destroyed by the irresistible force of unequal numbers â€” self poised by bis own in domitable courage and energy and decision he falters neiiher to the right hand nor io lhe left but now as then strikes for his couuiry his whole country the whig party may well congratulate them selves and the nation in having at the head of affairs such a man al such a tremendous crisis as the present a crisis which has paralyzed all legislation by our congress : disturbed the public mind : stirred up implacable feud and discord and hatred among brethren ofthe same great national famiiy ; and threatens lo deliver over to anarchy and civil war a people hereto fore united by the strongest ties of historic re collections of the past and bright hopes for lhe luture : a people united in the same fiaternal bond of kindrad and affection and interest a crisis in our hirlorv resulting from lh acquisi tion of vast regions of territory purchased most dearly by a lavish effusion of lhe b!oÂ«.d and treasure of the country which was foretold by the whigs as with prophetic vision against the consummation i which their best energies have been unceasin^iy directed â€” i portentous disaster for which the whig party is in no sort responsible a crisis sothieatening rul ing ihat it becomes the imperative duty of those in power in our national assembly to calm the agitation and fears ol our people the sectional struggle in which our country is now engaged and which ha been brought upon us by the maiversaiionof mr polk s ad ministration involves not our own alone but the destiny of civil liberty throuirhout the earth the contest must be made to terminate pub lie sentiment demands of congn - h the path of safety and r-!..rm cau in my solemn opinion alone be found iu the moderate counsels the conci!ia!in policy and consi i live principles of the \\ b g party let u then as a band of brother upfa uly burying all minor r local jealousies let ps stand shoulder to shoulder togethei lo maintain lhat party in union is our strength let ns then mv friends emblazon upon our shields ihe principles of whigs inscribe up on the sacred folds of out ensign the talisman c motto ot our order let us sil ralii at tbe same watchword and marching with undivided fronl under tie same banner victom wilt he iit.t.mn am co___p____tk !